www.sospublication.co.in Journal of Advanced Laboratory Research in Biology

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Volume 2, Issue 3, July 2011 Research Article

Ex-situ Studies of Captive Breeding of bimaculatus (Bloch, 1794) in

S. Banik1*, Pritam Goswami and Samir Malla

*Aquaculture Research Unit, Department of Zoology, , Suryamaninagar-799130, Tripura, .

Abstract: Broodstock (37 males and 83 females) of was sampled from Rivers Feni, Muhuri, Gomoti and also from Hurijala wetland of Tripura during November 2008 to February 2010. During sampling of , water samples from different locations were also sampled in order to know the water quality characteristics of the habitat. The broodstock was provided specific live feed and water quality during acclimatization. The maturity cycle of the species was examined with gonad during the monsoon period. During breeding season the gravid females and males were identified with some specific phenotypic characteristics. Induced spawning was done under some particular aquaculture conditions only.

Keywords: Ompok bimaculatus, Breeding, Culture.

1. Introduction 1998; Banik, 2009, 2010a, 2010b, 2011; Banik et al., 2002; Malla and Banik, 2010). Ompok bimaculatus (Bloch, 1794) is a freshwater species native to India, , 2. Results and Discussion and belong to the family of the order Siluriformes. The fish has a wide geographical 2.1 Broodstock Collection and management distribution covering West Bengal, Bihar and North Brood of 1-2 years old (37 males and 83 Eastern States of India as well. Open Beel or wetland females) of O. bimaculatus were sampled from river connected with rivers are usually considered as Feni, Muhuri, Gomati and also from Hurijala wetland common habitats. O. bimaculatus is a higher priced, during November 2008-February 2010. They were delicious and well preferred fish because of its unique stocked (length: 25-40cm and weight: 50-190g) at the lipoprotein texture with soft bones, good taste and Udaipur Aquaculture Farm, Tripura in Post- stocking higher nutritional value. This species has been listed as pond (0.32 ha, depth 2.5-3.9 m). The brood fishes were endangered fish species in India (IUCN, 1990) due to maintained in a polyculture system. Aquatic its decrease in abundance and restricted distribution. macrophytes like Hydrilla verticillata and Eichhornia Causes of decline are likely to be indiscriminate fishing crassipes etc. were introduced into the pond for during the breeding season, wide use of pesticide from maintaining niche. After 1-2 months of acclimatization, agricultural fields and gradual siltation in riverine the fishes were considered for captive breeding (Banik habitat. In aquaculture it did not receive much attention et al., 2002). due to insufficiency of gravid stock for experimentation and also because of the shortage of information 2.2 Water quality management regarding its breeding potential, larval rearing and Different physicochemical parameters of water culture technology (Parameswaran et al., 1970; CAMP, were analyzed adopting the methodology of APHA

*Corresponding author: E-mail: [email protected]. Ex-Situ Studies of Captive Breeding of Ompok bimaculatus Banik et al

(2002) which was maintained in the broodstock pond g/individual) of mature females were induced bred and (Table 1). fertilized with spermatozoan suspension from the adult males. Ovaprim was used as at different dosages. Table 1. Physicochemical characteristics of water maintained in Hatching time has been recorded @ 23 – 24 hours after stocking the pond. fertilization at about 27 – 320C. Absorption of yolk sack has been noticed within 3 – 4 days of hatching. A total S. No. Parameter Range 0 of 52 females was considered for induced breeding. Of 1 Water Temperature 29 ± 2.2 C which about 87.90% responded to the application of 2 pH 7.5 ± 0.92 3 Dissolved Oxygen 7.0 ± 2.32 ppm breeding technology. The average fertilization rate is 4 Free CO2 4.3 ± 2.12 ppm being 72%. A total of 0.09 lakh spawns stage was 5 Turbidity 2.5 ± 1.1 cm grown and developed during 2010. Of this, about 5450 6 Carbonate 60 ± 5.70 ppm individuals were reared into the fry stage (Table 2). 7 Bicarbonate 120 ± 27.10 ppm During experimentation, the acclimatized brood 8 Ammonia Less than 0.1 ppm stockfishes were taken from the post-stocking carp 9 Nitrate Less than 0.01 ppm 10 Phosphate Less than 10-20 ppm pond through repeated netting as well as segregation 11 Suspended Solids Less than 2-5 ppm and then were transferred into breeding hapa for acclimatization further for about 7 to 8 hrs. For 2.3 Feed Management promoting gamete production in both female and male The brood fishes of Ompok bimaculatus (Bloch) as well as for influencing fertilization, Ovaprim was were fed with mass cultured rotifers along with small applied (Chaudhary, 1976). Ovaprim so applied was at live prawns, trash fishes and mustard oil cake etc. (2:1) 0.58 – 1.28ml/kg body weight of the fish individuals. @ 5-10% of the body weight per day for about 1-2 Females were stripped for spawning for about 5–9 months. Adult O. bimaculatus were reared in farm hours after hormone injection. The number of eggs stocking ponds with proper feeding. The broodstock so developed was varied from 1068-5892. Eggs were developed to attain a body size of about 15.5 – 18.5cm cleaned thoroughly with sterilized water and transferred /45g-115g. Spawners were fed with mass cultured into a cemented tank for hatching, with constant rotifers @ 18 –25% of stocked biomass. aeration @ 5.4-6.7 ppm of DO2. After completion of spawning growth and development of the hatching was 2.4 Breeding Season and Maturation progressed through intensive exercise of the larvae O. bimaculatus was observed during the first year. inside the eggshell. Hatching occurred at about 23-25 The maturity cycle of the species was studied by hrs after spawning and the hatchlings were light yellow examining of gonads in different months. During in colour. The survival of the hatchling varied from 51- November – January the fishes were in stage I and II of 72% (Bhowmick et al., 2000; Mukherjee and Das 2001; maturity. Most of them attained stages III of maturity in Chakrabarty et al., 2006 & 2007). March. The majority of the males were matured during late March-April, while the bulk of females were only 2.7 Egg Collection and Incubation in stage IV. Fully ripe females were observed during A simple flow through system comprises a stand May to the end of July. Breeding season extends from on which is placed a row of plastic tubs (12cm early June to late July. diameter, 6cm height). Constant supply of water is arranged from an overhead tank through a pipe to all 2.5 Selection of breeders the tubs with individual control taps. Each tub is During breeding season (June - August), fully ripe provided with an outlet as a height of above 4cm which females and males are selected. Male and female draws into a common conduit to drain out water. The identify with their secondary sexual character fertilized eggs are generally distributed uniformly in the developed during breeding season. These are comb like plastic tubs and a feeble current of water is provided to and swollen with milt but do not normally yield the maintain good water quality. Water temperature 0 contents with slight pressure on abdomen near the vent between 27 – 30 C is maintained for hatching. Hatching and males have an elongated and pointed genital occurs after 22 – 24 hours of fertilization. The newly papilla. Females are with soft bulging abdomen for hatched larvae are cylindrical in shape, transparent and enlargement of the balloon shaped hard roes, reddish devoid of mouth, pectoral fin and body pigments, yolk vent colour and rounded genital papilla. The pectoral sack pale greenish in colour gets absorbed in three days. fin spine, which relatively longer and thicker in male Rudiment of one pair of maxillary and two pair of than female, become more prominent. mandibular barbels appears. Post larval phase lasts from th 4 day to the 15th day of life, when they resemble with 2.6 Induced Spawning adult in respect of contour and pigmentation. The During June-July 2009 and 2010 altogether 52 caudal, dorsal and ventral fins are fully formed individuals weighing about 4.05 kg (mean wt=97.88 (Chakrabarty et al., 2008).

J. Adv. Lab. Res. Biol. 113 Ex-Situ Studies of Captive Breeding of Ompok bimaculatus Banik et al

Table 2. Results of Captive breeding experiments using different doses of Ovaprim.

Average Ovaprim dosage Average Ovaprim dosage No. of No. of No. of Latency Fertilization Hatching weight of (ml/kg of body weight of (ml/kg body eggs hatchlings Experiment Period (hr) (%) (%) female (g) weight) Male (g) weight) spawned produced 1 287 1.5 210 0.5 5-6 3254 62% 51% 1028 2 217 1.0 175 0.5 7-8 5892 75% 66% 2916 3 224 0.5 190 0.5 8-9 3054 78% 55% 1310 4 233 1.5 180 0.5 5-6 2544 66% 65% 1091 5 212 1.0 160 0.5 7-8 4756 80% 72% 2739

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